Container with locking cover feature



Jan. 23, 1968 R. H. OBERREICH 3,365,134

CONTAINER WITH LOCKING COVER FEATURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 21,1965 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA [NI/ENTOR RICHARD H. OBERREICH Jan. 23, 1968 R.H. OBERREICH 3,365,134

CONTAINER WITH LOCKING COVER FEATURE Filed OCL. 21, 1965 2 Sheds-Sheet 2(141 1 ll llll E 9 U I 5O 60 9 I 3 2 :t t I IIIIII Q l i I.. 1

Fig. 8;

MIN

INVJENTUR. RICHARD H.0B'ERRmcH Lull Af/v n 8 United States Patent Ofiice3,365,134 Fatented Jan. 23, 1968 3,365,134 CONTAINER WITH LOCKING COVERFEATURE Richard H. Oberreich, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to CrownPaper Box Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of IndianaFiled Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,985 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-39) ABSTRACT OFTHE DESCLQSURE A paperboard or corrugated box having a self locking topor cover. The cover has a flap which is resiliently biased against theinside of the box when the box is closed. At the inside of the box thereare tabs which taper to guide the flap into locking position. In onealternative embodiment the flap is guided against the front of the box,while in another embodiment away from the front of the box.

This invention relates generally to containers and more particularly toa box formed of fiberboard or the like and having a self locking top orcover.

It is usual practice in the container field to staple, stitch, tape orrivet a fiberboard box top to close the box after it has been packed.Such procedure requires an additional step over and above the closing ofthe box and also requires additional labor, machines, material andexpense. Consequently, a primary object of this invention is to providean improved container which automatically locks in a closed positionmerely upon closure of the box top.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved container.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved closuremeans for a container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container closurewhich reduces expense yet which provides a secure closure.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

One embodiment of the present invention might include a box having acover hingedly connected to the box, said cover being swingable to aclosed box position, a flap hingedly connected to said cover, said flaphaving a recess therein, a tab extending inwardly from the inside of thebox and engaging said flap at said recess when said cover is in saidposition.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a box blank showing it prior to folding itinto the box of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the box after it has been folded andglued from the blank of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view of a portion of theinside of the box of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 in the directionof the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of an alternative embodiment of theinvention and shows a box blank identical to the box blank of FIG. 1except for an illustrated modification.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 3 but showing thealternative embodiment of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a section similar to FIG. 4 but showing the alternativeembodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged vertical section through the closed box of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged section taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8 in thedirection of the arrows.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated inthe drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended, such alterations and furthermodifications in the illustrated device, and such further applicationsof the principles of the invention as illustrated therein beingcontemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art towhich'the invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated abox blank 19 which includes first, second, third and fourth side walls11, 12, 13 and 14. When the box blank is assembled into the box of FIG.2, the side walls 11, 12, 13 and 14 are folded at 90 degree angles toone another and the flap 15 is adhered to the inside of the side wall14. The bottom of the box is assembled by interlocking the flaps 17, 18,19 and 20.

The box further includes a cover which is hingedly connected at its edgeportion 26 to the upper edge 27 of the side wall 11. The cover 25 hassecond and third edge portions 30 and 31 which overlie the upper edges32 and 33 of the side walls 12 and 14 when the cover is closed. Hingedlyconnected to the side walls 12 and 14 are a pair of flaps 35 and 36,respectively. When the box is in assembled relation, the flaps 35 and 36are folded down into the box and become a part of the side walls. A pairof tabs 46 and 41 are foldably connected to the flaps 35 and 36 alongthe lines 42 and 45. The tabs and 41 are separated from the flaps 35 and36 along the lines 46 and 47.

Thus, when the flaps 35 and 36 are folded down into the box to become apart of the side walls thereof, the tabs 46 and 41 are folded as shownin FIG. 2 to project inwardly toward one another. When the box is soassembled, the tabs 40 and 41 are canted or tapered as shown in FIG. 4.Each of the tabs 40 and 41 has a lower surface 50 which engages the sidewall 13 and which is generally horizontal. The tabs 40 and 41 cant orare tapered away from the side wall 13 from the surfaces 50 to the uppersurfaces 51 of the tabs 40 and 41.

A flap is foldably connected to the cover 25 along the line 61. Thefoidable connection is a resilient one and is made in such a manner thatthe flap 60 resiliently bears against the side wall 13 of the box whenthe flap is placed in the box as shown in FIG. 2. As suggested in FIG.4, the box is closed by inserting the flap 60 between the tabs 40 and 41and the front side wall 13 and by'pushing the flap 60 down between theside wall 13 and the tabs until the recesses 62 and 63 register with thetabs 40 and 41. The recesses 62 and 63 have respective surfaces 64 and65 which engage the surfaces 50 of the tabs 40 and 41 to lock the box ina closed position. It will be noted that when the box is in such aclosed position, the edge portions 30 and 31 of the cover prevent thecover from moving into the box by over-lying the edges 32 and 33 of theside walls while the engagement of the surfaces 50 with the surfaces 64and 65 holds the cover in a locked position. FIG. 3 shows in more detailthe manner in which the flap 60 is positioned between the tab 40 and thefront side wall 13 for closing the box.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, an alternativeembodiment of the invention is illustrated which is identical to theabove described embodiment except for the variations illustrated.

Referring to FIG. 5, the flap 35' which corresponds to the fiap 35 has atab 40' foldably connected thereto along the line 42. The tab 40 isseparated from the flap 35 at 46. Because of the modification instructure of the tab 40' and because of a corresponding or complementarymodification of the opposite tab in the position corresponding to thetab 41, the operation of locking the box is different as illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7 in that the flap 60' is cammed over the tabs when the boxis closed instead of being received between the tab and side wall asshown in connection with FIGS. 1 through 4.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the tab of the alternative embodimentresiliently engages the side wall 13 of the box toward the box opening75 and tapers away from the side wall 13' to the tab lower surface 5 0.The tab 40 has a slightly different configuration than the tab 40 inthat the tab 40 is triangular with the upper surface 100 engaging thefront wall 13 all along the length of the upper surface 100. The flap 60of the alternative embodiment of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 is identical to theflap 60. As the cover is closed in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 6 and7, the flap 60' is first cammed away from the side wall 13 until thesurfaces corresponding to the surfaces 64 and 65 move beneath therespective surfaces 50' at which time the resilient connection of theflap 60 to the cover urges the flap against the front wall 13 with thetabs 40' and 41' received in the recesses of the flap 60'. The box ofFIGS. 5, 6 and 7 is then retained in closed condition in the same manneras described above in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through4 and as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

It will be evident from the above description that the present inventionprovides an improved container which automatically locks in a closedposition merely upon closure of the box top or cover. It will also beevident from the above description that the present invention eliminatesthe necessity of stapling, stitching, taping or riveting the box inorder to secure it in closed condition.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that allchanges and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a box including four side walls which define an opening, a coverhingedly connected at one edge portion thereof to one of said sidewalls, said cover being swingable between an open box position and aclosed box position closing said opening, said cover having a second andthird edge portion thereof which overlie respective ones of said sidewalls when said cover is in said closed box position, said cover havinga fourth edge portion remote from said first edge portion, a fiaphingedly connected at a first edge thereof to said cover fourth edgeportion, said fiap having second and third edges extending from saidfirst edge, said flap having a pair of surfaces thereon each facingtoward said cover, a pair of tabs each extending inwardly from arespective one of said side walls and each engaging said flap at arespective one of said surfaces when said cover is in said closed boxposition, a second of the side walls of said box being spaced from theone side wall, said tabs having surfaces away from said opening whichare adapted to engage said flap surfaces when said cover is in saidclosed box position, said tab surfaces resiliently engaging said secondside wall of said box away from said opening and tapering away from saidsecond side wall toward said opening, said flap being resilientlyconnected to said cover so as to be biased toward said second side walland beneath said tabs when said cover is swung from said open boxposition to said closed box position, said tabs acting as guides toguide said flap between said tabs and second side wall as said coverswings from said open box position to said closed box position.

2. In a box including four side walls which define an opening, a coverhingedly connected at one edge portion thereof to one of said sidewalls, said cover being swingable between an open box position and aclosed box position closing said opening, said cover having a second andthird edge portion thereof which overlie respective ones of said sidewalls when said cover is in said closed box position, said cover havinga fourth edge portion remote from said first edge portion, a flaphingedly connected at a first edge thereof to said cover fourth edgeportion, said flap having second and third edges extending from saidfirst edge, said flap having a pair of surfaces thereon each facingtoward said cover, a pair of tabs each extending inwardly from arespective one of said side walls and each engaging said flap at arespective one of said surfaces when said cover is in said closed boxposition, a second of the side walls of said box being spaced from theone side wall, said tabs having surfaces away from said opening whichare adapted to engage said flap surfaces when said cover is in saidclosed box position, said tabs resiliently engaging said second sidewall of said box toward said opening and tapering away from said secondside wall away from said opening to said tab surfaces, said flap beingresiliently connected to said cover so as to be biased toward saidsecond side wall and beneath said tabs when said cover is swung fromsaid open box position to said closed box position, said tabs acting ascams to cam said flap inwardly away from said second side wall as saidcover swings from said open box position to said closed box position.

3. In a box including four side walls which define an opening, a coverhingedly connected at one edge portion thereof to one of said sidewalls, said cover being swingable between an open box position and aclosed box position closing said opening, said cover having a furtheredge portion remote from said first edge portion, a flap hingedlyconnected at a first edge thereof to said cover further edge portion,said flap having second and third edges extending from said first edge,said flap having a pair of surfaces thereon each facing toward saidcover, a pair of tabs each extending inwardly from a respective one ofsaid side walls and each engaging said flap at a respective one of saidsurfaces when said cover is in said closed box position, a second of theside walls of said box being spaced from the one side wall, said tabshaving surfaces away from said opening which are adapted to engage saidflap surfaces when said cover is in said closed box position, said tabsurfaces resiliently engaging said second side wall of said box awayfrom said opening and tapering away from said second side wall towardsaid opening, said flap being resiliently connected to said cover so asto be biased toward said second side wall and beneath said tabs whensaid cover is swung from said open box position to said closed boxposition, said tabs acting as guides to guide said fiap between saidtabs and said second side wall as said cover swings from said open boxposition to said closed box position.

4. In a box including four side walls which define an opening, a coverhingediy connected at one edge portion thereof to one of said sidewalls, said cover being swingable between an open box position and aclosed box position closing said opening, said cover having a furtheredge portion remote from said first edge portion, a flap hingedlyconnected at a first edge thereof to said cover further edge portion,said flap having second and third edges extending from said first edge,said flap having a pair of surfaces thereon each facing toward saidcover, a pair of tabs each extending inwardly from a respective one ofsaid side walls and each engaging said flap at a respective one of saidsurfaces when said cover is in said closed box position, a second of theside walls of said box being spaced from the one side wall, said tabshaving surfaces away from said opening which are adapted to engage saidflap surfaces when said cover is in said closed box position, said tabsresiliently engaging said second side wall of said box toward saidopening and tapering away from said second side wall away from saidopening to said tab surfaces, said flap being resiliently connected tosaid cover so as to be biased toward said second side wall and beneathsaid tabs when said cover is swung from said open box position to saidclosed box position, said tabs acting as cams to cam said flap inwardlyaway from said second side wall as said cover swings from said open boxposition to said closed box position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Hedstrom 224-45 Shrum 224-45 XRumpel 224-45 X Price 224-39 Zeitter 224-45 Graybill 224-39 Reynolds224-45 X DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

